StreamDeck XL - Help with Layout (CPG), not technical, functional

[Toni Carrera]

Hi All,

I am looking to do the CPG part of my StreamDeck XL profile as released for the 'Pilot' in User Files - https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3321515/

Apart from the standard various screens, Left MPD, Right MPD, Keyboard, TEDAC, I want to create a couple of groups for buttons/functions that would be useful for a CPG, that contains relevant buttons for providing common functions whilst using the gun, or missiles, or whatever. I do not want CPG's using this to have to access different screens when in the heat of battle

As I have not fired a single thing in the Apache, and have only spent about 10 mins in the CPG position, I am in no way qualified to create such a useful screen(s). As with my Pilot one, I will make everything, where possible, all based around Command and Device ID's, and not keyboard shortcuts

Thank you

Toni

[frostycab]

Just sent you a PM

[Toni Carrera]

Hi Frosty,

Nevermind my previous, got it

Toni

Edited April 3, 2022 by Toni Carrera

[pellelil]

I only have a single profile that works both for Pilot and CPG. The only pure CPG folder I have is this one:

The folders I have for lights and radio works both for Pilot and CPG (even though CPG have fewer lights to operate):

[frostycab]

1 hour ago, pellelil said:

I only have a single profile that works both for Pilot and CPG. The only pure CPG folder I have is this one:

The folders I have for lights and radio works both for Pilot and CPG (even though CPG have fewer lights to operate):

Those are some very pretty buttons!

[Toni Carrera]

@frostycab They are nice buttons, very different to the boring drab ones I created and used for my first StreamDeck XL profile for the F/A-18C. However, when I designed it I was brand new to the StreamDeck XL and associated DCS Interface, so I was going for, sort of keeping with the standard F/A-18C in cockpit - Here if interested, although be prepared for a bland, yet functional profile and icons - https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3319825/

I did all my own buttons for the AH-64D and just prior to release, I came across @pellelil icon set, and just thought to myself, why not use them as they really are excellent. Pelelil was kind enough to provide me with font information, so I have created a number of my own icons, based on his design and format, and then acknowledged and linked to his icon set when publishing my 'Pilot Only' version, and intend to do the same for the CPG screens

As per this post, having no CPG experience, I am not aware of those controls that a CPG might need to access quickly, for I guess stuff that is not mapped to their control devices such as Joystick/Throttles/X-Box controller

Toni

Edited April 4, 2022 by Toni Carrera

[frostycab]

Regarding the CPG the first thing that inspired me to start looking at functionality within the SD was being able to quickly swap ACQ sources. Someone was talking about crew coordination, and mentioned a scenario where the pilot might call "Target, my line of sight!" It's a bit of a faff to quickly come out the TDU and change your ACQ on the MFDs, then get back into the TDU and slave the TADS, so I started with a single button that would act as a macro for the CPG's right MFD to go through the steps to change his ACQ to PHS. Then I just expanded the same functionality to more ACQ sources. 

While there are many great profiles out there for so many modules, I usually find myself ignoring most of the functions on them since I prefer to do a lot of things myself in the cockpit. Due to that my profiles are often very barebones and only include things that I find fiddly or too time-consuming to action with the mouse. Plus there are many switches that may only ever get touched during the startup, which to my mind makes an SD button redundant. One of my first profiles was for the Harrier, and I mapped every damn switch and button in the cockpit. It was an utter mess to work with, and having so many pages it was far more complex than I needed it to be. Most of the buttons never got used at all, but it was a good exercise in learning how to make things work.

With that in mind I now build very differently. My top-level page will have buttons that are geared towards specific tasks rather than individual controls. For example, I wanted a button to set my DIR. I could have linked it to the entire KEU, but instead it goes to a separate cut-down version which only includes the required keys and automatically returns to the top level when you've finished with it. It stops me from fumbling with a whole tree of pages that have every button mapped when I need to use multiple things in the cockpit. For example, I'm considering adding a Boresight button, that will turn up the required lighting and then action the proper MFD buttons to start the process. As this addresses different areas within the cockpit it would likely mean several button presses to set the lights, change pages and then press the MFD buttons, so I cut corners and will probably just use a multi-action button to do it all with one press.

I also tend to have many of the necessary functions bound to switches on my throttle base, which saves the need for SD buttons. In short, all my profiles are made very specifically for me and what I want to do, rather than having lots of functionality that would appeal to different players and their own needs. I understand what they do and why, but I don't know if they'd be of huge benefit to someone else without instructions. 

Your design so far looks amazing and it's clearly going to be very accessible and easy to understand for everyone, allowing them to do whatever they need, and I really looking forward to seeing what your profile is like when you've got everything you want in it. 

Edited April 4, 2022 by frostycab

[Toni Carrera]

@pellelil Do you intend on releasing you profile at some point? 

I would be very interested to have a look through it when you do

Toni

 

[pellelil]

@Toni Carrera Yes it was my plan, but it's still WIP and I am using a vJoy plug-in for StreamDeck, so my profile requires 5 vJoy devices (virtual joysticks) each with 128 buttons. Actually I have 6 vJoy devices configured on my PC, where the first is used exclusivly with my Joy2vJoy software which allows you to assign actions to the "off-positions of the 2/3-ways buttons on the Thrustmaster Throttle:

 

vJoy device 2-5 are used for the module (in this case AH64), and just yesterday I added a 6th vJoy device I use for general DCS actions (Flashlight, NVG, Kneeboard and so on).

It's this vJoy StreamDeck plug-in that I am using:
https://github.com/ashupp/Streamdeck-vJoy

[Toni Carrera]

Hi All,

With the release of the Touch Portal profile from @Sierr4, which you can find here - https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3321763/ 

I was wondering whether any body has any ideas of the best of these buttons for the SD XL. Obviously we don't have enough buttons on the XL to do the whole thing, but if someone could mark off perhaps the top priority ones that would be the most useful

Apologies for using you image as a reference Sierr4, but it is the closest I have got to something useful for my purposes

Toni

[pellelil]

In my profile I've put all the FCR related on one page:

[Toni Carrera]

@pellelilI am literally going through your icons now to come up with a Draft 01 non functional one that I can post here for comment/opinion

Toni 

[pellelil]

If you from my design moved the buttons in the 5th column to the empty field in the left side, and removed the MPD in the right-side you could at least be able to add 2x4 buttons (as I have placed them in a Up/Down/Left/Right layout) in the right side. E.g. for TADS-Z/W/M/N, HMD/FCR/TADS/Link or what you want

[pellelil]

Moch-up of what I meant
 

EDIT: The remaining can be used for: Slave ... whatever you need

Edited April 11, 2022 by pellelil

[Toni Carrera]

Hi,

If incorporated a similar setup to you in my StreamDeck XL for the FCR setup/layout, would that create any kind of negative reaction between us? I do not want you to think that I am stealing your design and passing it off as my own

If it is OK with you, I would of course reference you in the release text of my evolving upload of the SD XL profile, which is now at version 01.f - https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3321515/

Toni

Edited April 11, 2022 by Toni Carrera

[pellelil]

Mock-up version 2.0 Begins to get a bit crowded

1 minute ago, Toni Carrera said:

Hi,

If incorporated a similar setup to you in my StreamDeck XL for the FCR setup/layout, would that create any kind of negative reaction between us? I do not want you to think that I am stealing your design and passing it off as my own

If it is OK with you, I would of course reference you in the release text of my evolving upload of the SD XL profile, which is now at version 01.f - https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3321515/

Toni

 

Not all. If this offer any inspirations, go with it

[Toni Carrera]

Thank you

[pellelil]

Not easy to fit them all ... no WAS

EDIT: There are 2 "IAT Aut/Mn". One of them should have been "OFS ret. TADS LOT"

Edited April 11, 2022 by pellelil

[Toni Carrera]

Hi All,

Think I am making some progress here. How do people feel about this as a non-FCR page for a combination of Left & Right Grips?

Would appreciate any feedback either way, good or bad

Toni

Edited April 14, 2022 by Toni Carrera

[Tiger19]

The only feedback is - thank you.  I have been flying CPG more lately to get used to weapons over flying for a break.  I have only scratched the surface since my flying is limited to some on the weekends, but, your work on both sides is very helpful.

Joe

[pellelil]

Depends how you want to use the 4 directional keys (those with the arrows). Do you plan to use them to slew the TADS or as cursor-keys (cursor on the MPDs)? If the latter then the "CURSOR ENTER" button makes sense, and you might might consider adding a "CURSOR DISPLAY SELECT" key (or what it's called) as well. This is the key that move the cursor to the other MPD.

But I guess in this case keys to move the TADS would make more sense ... but then again ... if mapping up joystick/throttle keys up as a CP/G I'm guessing slewing TADS would be one of the first things that gets mapped up, and preferably to an axis for a more smooth experience.

[Toni Carrera]

Hi All,

I have released my first Pilot and now CPG profile. Version v01g can be located and downloaded from https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3321515/

I hope this meets with some approval, but I am more than willing to adapt it should people  have other organisational / grouping suggestions

Thank you

Toni

[jabbabzh]

On 4/15/2022 at 4:46 PM, Toni Carrera said:

Hi All,

I have released my first Pilot and now CPG profile. Version v01g can be located and downloaded from https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3321515/

I hope this meets with some approval, but I am more than willing to adapt it should people  have other organisational / grouping suggestions

Thank you

Toni

Hi, i try to use ah64 profile, yours and other..

When i move switch ingame i see switch moving on my streamdeck but when i click on my streamdeck,it make no change ingame... I dunno why..

[Toni Carrera]

Try running StreamDeck in Admin mode

[jabbabzh]

Done but no change..

may i forgot a ah64 file somewhere?